Complications
by Sydney K. Ivashkov
Summary: Sydney and Adrian are a couple now, but with her sister enrolling in Amberwood complications will arise. This fic is mostly Sydrian but will have quite a bit of Zoe in it as well.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N - This is a Sydrian fic, but Adrian doesn't actually appear in this chapter. I do promise he will be in chapter two, though! This chapter is mostly just setting things up. It is set the day after Indigo Spell, so if you haven't read it yet, I would recommend waiting until you do to proceed (but if you want to bookmark it and read later, feel free!) For those who have read Indigo and had as many Sydrian feels as I did, I am hoping that this story will contain many.**

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Sydney's eyes opened and she let out a soft yawn. She took a few moments to process where she was and what day it was. So much had happened lately that she wasn't even sure what reality was anymore. She turned over in her bed and saw someone sleeping in the other bed in the room. The girl was smaller, younger and for a moment Sydney thought it was Jill. Had all of that been a dream? She tried to recall everything since she had moved out of Jill's room into her own. Truth be told, far too much had happened since then, far too much for one night's dream.

That was when it started coming back to her, everything flooded her mind from Brayden to the Warriors of Light to Adrian kissing her. Then she recalled working with magic, Mrs. Terwilliger's sister and the girl they had really been up against the whole time. Zoe. Zoe was an Alchemist now and she was Sydney's roommate. And Sydney was dating Adrian. How was she supposed to be able to pull this off?

Adrian had been visiting her dreams a lot lately, though not last night. After finding Zoe in her room, she had gone back downstairs to talk to Mrs. Weathers and explain that her cousin was indeed staying with her and on her way back up she had called Adrian to tell him not to dreamwalk with her that night but she hadn't told him why. She just knew that she couldn't risk talking in her sleep. Alchemists were, by a rule, light sleepers and if Sydney said something in the dream that would tip Zoe off to some of the things that had been going on, she would be in trouble.

She slowly got out of bed, trying to figure out how to explain this one to Adrian. They were finally together and she was actually happy about it, but could it last with Zoe around? It would definitely complicate things. On top of that, Sydney had broken her tattoo and since Zoe knew better than anyone else here how the tattoo worked she had to be extremely careful around her about even that. Why had they even sent her?

That was right, after the tattoo had broken, she had gone off on Stanton and used stress as an excuse when she realized she had to cover herself. She was certainly regretting that now. She let out a soft sigh and glanced at the bed. Zoe stirred a little. A glance at the clock told her that she didn't have time to call Adrian and maybe that was for the best. She went to her closet and put on a non-descript business casual outfit and gathered some of her things for class. Zoe wouldn't actually be starting until next semester, but she was staying here in the meantime as another cousin of Sydney's. Ironic that the only person in this group that was not only of her kind but her own sister was playing her cousin while Jill and Eddie were playing her siblings.

She pushed the thought aside before sending Adrian a quick text.

I need to talk to you after class. Maybe I can come over?

She knew that it would be far too early for Adrian to actually see the text and respond, so she put her phone away and shook Zoe slightly. "Zoe? Do you want to come down for breakfast?" Sydney had skipped breakfast a lot earlier in the school year, but after a particularly intense argument with Adrian, she had honestly started to try eating more. She was at least eating all meals now, even if it wasn't much. It was a start at least, right?

She heard a groan from the girl and decided to leave her alone. She went down the stairs toward the girls' dorm cafeteria. She didn't have a lot of time to go to the other cafeteria on campus and she could usually find her friends Kristin and Julia in this one in the mornings. Right now, she needed some normalcy—no vampires, no newly tattooed-Alchemist sisters—just two human friends who knew nothing about the world she was involved in. Right now, that made them the best people to deal with. She couldn't talk about anything she was dealing with—they thought her boyfriend was her brother, they didn't know that she didn't want her sister to follow in the family business until she was at least old enough to make that decision for herself and they didn't know that her 'sister' was a vampire princess and her brother—not the boyfriend—was a half-vampire who was charged with protecting the princess. They didn't know that Sydney's life had become so unbearably complicated that she didn't know which way was up any longer.

She found the two girls sitting at one of the tables and after grabbing her breakfast, she walked over to them. She sat down across from the two girls, who were animatedly talking about something. "Morning," she greeted them.

"Have you heard from your friend?" Julia asked, looking straight at Sydney.

Sydney didn't want to be the one to tell Julia that the 'friend' she was referring to had gone to Mexico and probably wouldn't be back, or that just last night Sydney had been planning to go with him. "Not in the last few days," Sydney lied. She felt bad about it, but there was no way she could explain Marcus' disappearance without giving away information that the girls didn't need to know about. Things they couldn't know about.

Julia gave a pouty look making Sydney feel worse. Her friend had really developed a crush on Marcus and now he was gone. "Maybe he will call soon," Sydney replied lamely with a shrug.

"I heard you have another cousin starting school next semester," Kristin said to Sydney and she suppressed a sigh. While it was the normal gossip part of the situation, she was still very unhappy about Zoe being here.

"Yes," Sydney answered, "she showed up last night and she'll be going home with us for Christmas and then enroll next semester." 'Home' was actually Clarence's house, but since Jill couldn't go home for obvious safety reasons, the rest of them had to stay for her protection. It was better if people thought they went to South Dakota, even though they were staying in town.

"What's she like?" Julia asked.

As each 'family member' was very different, it was a valid question, but not one Sydney felt like discussing. Just as she opened her mouth, the bell rang. So much for having breakfast. She gave the girls an apologetic glance before grabbing a biscuit off her tray and dumping the rest. Of course the one thing that was easy to eat on the go was the one thing loaded with carbs. She sighed softly before she ate it on the way to class.

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**A/N - As I said before, Adrian will be in the second chapter, so please don't hate me for not having him in this one! They will have some things to discuss, mainly Zoe and try to figure out how they can work their new relationship around her sister being there. As for Julia asking about Marcus, more than likely he won't make an appearance in the story as it will mostly revolve around Sydney, Adrian and Zoe... but you never know. Anyway, reviews would be fantastic and are likely to keep me going :)  
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	2. Chapter 2

**A/N - Okay, so after I posted last night, a friend and I were talking and we realized we both had different ideas of how Indigo ended school-wise. He was under the impression that winter break had already started and as I thought all schools actually closed completely for winter break (including boarding schools), I assumed that it was more like finals week. Since the story had already started and already been read by some people, I decided to keep it the same rather than contradicting things in the second chapter from the first. So if it is winter break, we are going to say for the sake of the story they have a few days left.**

**A couple more notes before the chapter starts-I moved this to the Bloodlines section. I honestly didn't know there was a separate section because I equate them all being from the same universe. If you know anyone reading this that has trouble finding it, please help them out. Also, I can't always promise that I will be posting daily. I've had some free time lately and am only working on one other fic for now. I do have a couple of other fics in mind and if I do anything with those, it might take more time between updates. My goal is to update at least once per week.**

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Sydney waited outside the school for Adrian to come get her. He had replied back sometime during one of her classes saying that he would come pick her up—she couldn't keep the car that Marcus had left with her, so Adrian would have to drive her around until she could get a new car. She hadn't really had the chance yet, but maybe she would be able to get Adrian to take her car shopping that weekend. That was, if they could figure out a way to continue their relationship with Zoe in town, because honestly that was what she was afraid of—that they might have to break up now.

She didn't want to come to that, she had just gotten to the point where she could admit her feelings for him and that she wanted to be with him, so she really didn't want to end things now. It would hurt too much and on top of everything else that had been happening… well Adrian had been her rock. She couldn't have gotten through any of it without him and that was with him trying to resist her most of the time so that she wouldn't walk out on him again. Breaking up would devastate him and she really didn't want to do that.

When he pulled up, she put a smile on her face in hopes that he wouldn't notice that something was really bothering her. This conversation shouldn't be in a car, it should be face to face in private. She knew that it was best to wait until they got to his apartment.

Adrian, however, was smarter than that. "What's wrong, Sage?" he asked when she got in the mustang.

Sydney looked over at him in surprise. She had actually thought she had done pretty well at keeping her emotions hidden, but maybe her face had betrayed more than she thought.

"Your aura," he explained. "I can't really explain it, but it looks like something is off."

Sydney nodded a little. She had forgotten that he could read her emotions at any time. Maybe forgotten wasn't the right word—she was fully aware of his aura-reading abilities. It was more like it had slipped her mind. She wasn't exactly in the right state of mind to begin with. "I don't really want to talk about it here," she told him. "Can we wait until we get to your apartment?"

Adrian nodded and drove away from the school. She rested back against the seat, closing her eyes. Now that she knew he was fully capable of actually driving the mustang, she wasn't so afraid of him doing something wrong in it and she could let herself try to relax. It would do no good to be all wound up when they did get around to talking. "How much school do you have left?"

"Hmm?" Sydney asked, opening her eyes and glancing over at him.

"Winter break is coming, right?" Adrian asked her.

Sydney nodded once she realized what he was talking about. "Yes, this week is finals week and then we're out next week," she explained to him.

"I know Jill has to stay here, but are you?" Adrian asked her.

"I have to, she's my assignment," Sydney pointed out. Alchemists didn't really get 'Christmas breaks' despite their religion and the importance of the holiday. They were all expected to recognize it, of course and some could arrange to go to services like the one she had gone to in St. Louis, but she didn't have any desire to experience that again.

"So then I can get Christmas with my girlfriend?" Adrian asked with a grin.

Sydney laughed in spite of herself. That was what made Adrian happy? Then it occurred to her that if they couldn't figure something out, there was a really good chance she might not be his girlfriend for Christmas. "We can discuss Christmas later," she told him. "Let me get through finals first." She didn't want to give up on their relationship, really didn't want to and if they came up with anything that would work, she would fight for them as hard as she had to. She just couldn't fight if she got sent to re-education.

Adrian nodded in response and before long they were pulling into the apartment complex. She waited for him to park and got out of the car.

Once they were in the apartment, Adrian took a seat and patted the seat next to him, waiting for her to sit down. If they were going to have what looked like it could be a serious conversation, they could at least be sitting down for it.

Sydney sat down and before she had the chance to say anything, Adrian pulled her into his arms and gave her a long, slow kiss. She slipped her arms around him, kissing him back as though she was trying to memorize it in case they didn't get this chance again. Her heart sank and she pulled away slowly.

"What is it?" Adrian asked, determined to find out what was bothering her.

"You know that I asked you not to dream walk with me last night," Sydney started, "but I didn't have the chance to tell you why…" she trailed off, trying to figure out the best thing to say.

Adrian just watched her. He knew all this, though she was right he didn't know why, though he hadn't questions it. Last night he had just assumed that she was exhausted and wanted to get a full night's sleep. Now, however, he knew that wasn't the case.

"Zoe is in town," Sydney explained finally. "She got in last night, she is playing another cousin of ours and she's my roommate," of course as much as all of that bothered Sydney, she left out the thing that bothered her the most. "She has a tattoo," she added softly.

Adrian reached for her hand. He knew that Sydney had been having trouble with the Alchemists lately and if she ever hadn't wanted Zoe to become one now that would be multiplied. If she really was working for an organization that was lying to them, she wouldn't want her sister involved. "Are you okay?" he asked. "Is she?"

Sydney nodded a little. "She's happy," she replied. Zoe was happy to be an Alchemist and even more happy to be assigned to work with her sister. All of the earlier distance in their relationship had been dissolved during their brief encounter in St. Louis, but now it was completely gone. They were now equals in Zoe's mind. Zoe didn't know that Sydney was having her doubts, dating a Moroi and had broken her tattoo.

"But you don't want her to be an Alchemist," he replied. It wasn't a question, he knew how she felt about them right now.

"Not yet," Sydney answered. If Zoe had a chance to grow up and still really wanted it, Sydney wouldn't begrudge her that. However, as it was, she didn't feel Zoe had had the time to really decide if this was the path she wanted to take. "Not until she's older." It was done now, however. The Alchemists owned her little sister.

"She will be fine," Adrian replied positively. He didn't realize yet that there were other implications in this. Things that very well could affect him more strongly. "She has a loving older sister to look out for her."

Sydney smiled appreciatively before glancing away again. "She doesn't know that I've broken my tattoo," she told him. "I can't say or do anything that would make her suspect that. Zoe has been wanting this for a while and I know she is more loyal to them right now than she would be to me if she found that things had changed," she turned her head for her eyes to meet his. "Or if she knew that I was dating a Moroi."

Adrian caught on and nodded a little. Now that she mentioned it, he could see how Zoe's presence, especially in Sydney's own room could make things more complicated. "So we just have to be more careful."

"Can we, though, Adrian?" Sydney asked, "be more careful?" While that would be nice, she wasn't sure it was possible. Before, she was around people who might not necessarily agree with the relationship and couldn't just be told—but if they found out they wouldn't rat them out. "Is it really possible to continue this with Zoe here?" There, she had laid it all out on the table and she felt horrible.

"Are you breaking up with me?" Adrian asked, confused. Things had been so perfect last night when Sydney had shown up. He had thought he could actually be happy for once and now it seemed that that was being taken from him all over again.

"I don't want to," she told him. "I just… I don't know what else to do, Adrian." Tears formed in her eyes, she hated this and she didn't like the expression she was seeing on Adrian's face right now. The one that told her that she had just shattered him to his very core.

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**A/N - I fully expect I might get some hatemail for this one, or hate reviews but I assure you that this is nowhere near the end of the story and NOTHING is official as of this point. I cut this off at a bad time, but this is still early in their conversation and we all know that Adrian doesn't give up easily. I'm not going to say how this conversation ends or if it will end badly or if they will work it out this time or not, but I do want you guys to know that the whole book won't be like this. The story is overcoming obstacles, and that simply means that there will be good with the bad and as fans of Richelle's, we all know what that means.**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N - I received a review mentioning that they hope that I will be using magic in the story. This one alludes to her acceptance of magic and I do intend to use magic on both of their parts in the story (for example, the dream walking scene that will be in the next chapter), though hers will be toned down a bit this time around due to Zoe's presence and the fact that I suspect that the Alchemists will be the larger threat in The Fiery Heart, they are in this story as well. Also, I have promised my friend that there will be a Sydrian Christmas in this story, so you can look forward to that as well. Thank you guys for the response to the story so far, it really does mean a lot that people like it.**

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Sydney watched Adrian for a few moments, though he was understandably speechless. She sighed softly, feeling horrible for breaking his heart all over again. She didn't want this any more than he did, but she didn't see any other way, not right now. She loved him and she knew it, but love wasn't going to keep her out of reeducation, especially since he wasn't her only indiscretion. She had been doing a lot of things lately that the Alchemists would look down on and with Zoe here, it just complicated everything.

"I'm sorry, Adrian," she said after a few moments of silence, when it became clear he wasn't going to say anything.

"No," Adrian responded, but it was all he said.

"Yes, Adrian, I am. I don't want this any more than you do," Sydney replied. "I know it hurts, believe me I know." Her own heart was shattering as she spoke.

"We aren't breaking up," Adrian replied simply. "I worked too hard to get you to realize your feelings for me and now that you have—now that I finally have you, I'm not letting you go that easily."

Sydney watched him, surprised, though maybe she shouldn't have been. Adrian was nothing if not passionate and somewhere along the line, he had become passionate about her. About keeping her safe, about getting her to be his. Why should it surprise her now that he would be passionate about keeping her, even when all was lost? "We don't have another choice," Sydney pointed out to him.

"Yes, we do," Adrian replied. "We made it through Strigoi attacking us and the crazy witch. We can make it through your sister being here and we will." He put his hands on either side of her face and looked into her brown eyes. "I love you, Sydney and I'm not letting you go. We will come up with something. I'm not letting _them_ get you either." Adrian knew a little about re-education after what she had told him about seeing Keith, but he didn't know everything. Sydney didn't even know everything, but all of her speculations made it a horrible place that she never wanted to go, and she was sure that if she went she wouldn't love Adrian when she got back, she didn't want to lose that, even if it meant loving him from afar.

"What could we possibly do to keep all of this from her?" Sydney asked him. Adrian couldn't possibly realize the risk of Zoe being around. Alchemists were trained to pick up on the smallest leads and while Keith had wanted Zoe there to avoid being caught for his tattoo ring, Sydney had more faith in her sister than that. After all, they were both trained by the same father.

"The same thing we are doing to keep it from everyone else," he responded with a shrug. The only one who knew about them was likely Jill because of the bond, they intended to keep it from the others and she knew Jill would keep quiet about it. "We act normal in front of them and only do things like this…" he trailed off pulling her closer to kiss her, "when we are alone."

Sydney took a moment to process it. He made it sound so easy, but being together at all was a huge risk. Zoe wasn't only going to be in town and attending the school, she was going to be her roommate. She couldn't keep everything from her, could she? Zoe would be the first to notice anytime that Sydney was gone. She would have to make an excuse for every time she left the room. Though while she didn't have a car, it was easy for her sister to believe she had gone to the library tonight rather than leaving campus with a local vampire, she knew she would have to get a car soon.

"I'm scared, Adrian," Sydney admitted finally. That was what it boiled down to and she wasn't only scared of the Alchemists, she was scared of losing her sister. If Zoe found out, she would not only rat her out, but she would hate her.

Adrian pulled her close as though proving the point that he wasn't going to let her go at the same time as comforting her. "I know, Sage, but we will get through this. We have to."

Sydney glanced up at him, looking into his heartbreakingly beautiful green eyes. Adrian truly believed they could get through this okay and she wanted to believe him, really wanted to, but she was still scared. "What are we going to do?"

Adrian kissed her forehead gently and held her close. "I don't know," he answered her honestly. He wished he had a better answer for her, but he didn't.

They sat there, holding each other for a while, not saying anything. They could hardly say that they were enjoying the company, but it looked like they would be staying together and fighting whatever came. That was the big question in the air, however—what would come next for them? They knew it wouldn't be easy, they would both have to work hard to make this work, but they were willing.

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Adrian pulled up outside the school and Sydney unbuckled her seat belt. She wasn't ready to leave him yet, which she found ironic seeing as she had been prepared to break up with him earlier. He reached out and pushed a strand of hair behind her hair, letting his hand linger. "If it's okay, I want to visit you in your dreams tonight," he told her.

Sydney bit down on her lip gently. She was still scared of that with Zoe sharing her room. After a few moments, she nodded. She was pretty sure she didn't talk in her sleep, at least Jill had never mentioned it. "That's fine," she replied. "I feel better knowing you're there when I'm sleeping," she added. That, too, was ironic. There was a time that she hated his dream walking. She had actually had a severe panic attack the first time he did it. After getting used to magic, however, it came easier to her. It was something she had accepted, not only about him, but about herself as well.

Adrian leaned over and kissed her quickly before pulling away. "I'll see you tonight," he promised her and Sydney smiled softly in response.

"Actually, before I get out, I had a favor to ask you," Sydney remembered. It was going to be a lot easier to ask him for a favor now than it would have been if he had let them break up.

"What is it?" Adrian asked, surprisingly unguarded considering the recent favors she had had to ask. None of them had been particularly easy. This one would be very easy.

"I need to buy a new car this weekend," Sydney explained to him. She had yet to explain that to Stanton, but she knew that she would need a car while she was here so Stanton would have to approve the expense. "I need a ride."

"Of course, Sage," Adrian replied with a smile. "I would do anything for you."

Sydney smiled and got out of the car, actually happy that things turned out the way they did. Adrian was a really good guy when he wanted to be and he was right, he would do anything for her. She had never had a guy in her life who would do that and she considered herself lucky to have Adrian there for her.

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**A/N - So the end of that conversation wasn't as bad as where I left the previous chapter off. I can assure you guys that this isn't going to be the last of their troubles. I can't promise they won't break up later on, I'm kinda going where this story takes me so we will have to see. For now, at least, they are together. And yes, there will be a dream walking scene next chapter.**


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